ML071430403

Issuance of License Amendment 171 Relocate Component Lists for Primary Containment Isolation Valves from Technical Specifications

ML071430403
Person / Time
Site:	Hope Creek
Issue date:	08/27/2007
From:	Richard Ennis NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLI-2
To:	Levis W Public Service Enterprise Group
Ennis R, NRR/DORL, 415-1420
Shared Package
ML072390350	List: ML071430403
References
TAC MD3600
Download: ML071430403 (11)

Text

August 27, 2007 Mr. William Levis President & Chief Nuclear Officer PSEG Nuclear LLC - N09 Post Office Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038

SUBJECT:

HOPE CREEK GENERATING STATION - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE:

RELOCATE COMPONENT LISTS FOR PRIMARY CONTAINMENT ISOLATION VALVES FROM TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (TAC NO. MD3600)

Dear Mr. Levis:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 171 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-57 for the Hope Creek Generating Station (HCGS). This amendment consists of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated November 15, 2006, as supplemented by letters dated June 21, and August 23, 2007.

The amendment deletes TS Table 3.6.3-1, Primary Containment Isolation Valves, and relocates the information to the HCGS Technical Requirements Manual. The amendment also revises other TS sections that reference TS Table 3.6.3-1.

A copy of our safety evaluation is also enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Richard B. Ennis, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch I-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-354

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 171 to License No. NPF-57

2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page

Mr. William Levis President & Chief Nuclear Officer PSEG Nuclear LLC - N09 Post Office Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038

SUBJECT:

HOPE CREEK GENERATING STATION - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE:

RELOCATE COMPONENT LISTS FOR PRIMARY CONTAINMENT ISOLATION VALVES FROM TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (TAC NO. MD3600)

Dear Mr. Levis:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 171 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-57 for the Hope Creek Generating Station (HCGS). This amendment consists of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated November 15, 2006, as supplemented by letters dated June 21, and August 23, 2007.

The amendment deletes TS Table 3.6.3-1, Primary Containment Isolation Valves, and relocates the information to the HCGS Technical Requirements Manual. The amendment also revises other TS sections that reference TS Table 3.6.3-1.

A copy of our safety evaluation is also enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Richard B. Ennis, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch I-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-354

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 171 to License No. NPF-57

2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC RidsOgcRp RidsNrrPMREnnis LPL1-2 R/F RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter GHill (2), OIS RidsNrrDorlLpl1-2 RidsNrrDirsltsb RidsNrrDorlDPR RidsNrrLASLittle RidsRgn1MailCenter JHoch Package Accession No.: ML072390350 Amendment Accession No: ML071430403 TS Accession No.: ML072400304 OFFICE LPL1-2/PM LPL1-1/LA ITSB/BC OGC LPL1-2/BC NAME REnnis SLittle TKobetz LSubin HChernoff (LRaghavan for)

DATE 8/27/07 6/5/07 6/7/07 6/29/07 8/27/07 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

Hope Creek Generating Station cc:

Mr. Thomas Joyce Mr. Michael Gaffney Senior Vice President - Operations Manager - Hope Creek Regulatory Assurance PSEG Nuclear PSEG Nuclear P.O. Box 236 P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. Dennis Winchester Township Clerk Vice President - Nuclear Assessment Lower Alloways Creek Township PSEG Nuclear Municipal Building, P.O. Box 157 P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. Paul Bauldauf, P.E., Asst. Director Mr. George Barnes Radiation Protection Programs Site Vice President - Hope Creek NJ Department of Environmental PSEG Nuclear Protection and Energy P.O. Box 236 CN 415 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Trenton, NJ 08625-0415 Mr. Carl Fricker Mr. Brian Beam Vice President - Operations Support Board of Public Utilities PSEG Nuclear 2 Gateway Center, Tenth Floor P.O. Box 236 Newark, NJ 07102 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Regional Administrator, Region I Mr. John Perry U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Plant Manager - Hope Creek 475 Allendale Road PSEG Nuclear King of Prussia, PA 19406 P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Senior Resident Inspector Hope Creek Generating Station Mr. James Mallon U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Manager - Licensing Drawer 0509 PSEG Nuclear Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. Jeffrie J. Keenan, Esquire PSEG Nuclear - N21 P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038

PSEG NUCLEAR LLC DOCKET NO. 50-354 HOPE CREEK GENERATING STATION AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 171 License No. NPF-57

1. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:

A. The application for amendment filed by PSEG Nuclear LLC dated November 15, 2006, as supplemented by letters dated June 21, and August 23, 2007, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's rules and regulations set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I; B. The facility will operate in conformity with the application, the provisions of the Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission; C. There is reasonable assurance: (i) that the activities authorized by this amendment can be conducted without endangering the health and safety of the public, and (ii) that such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I; D. The issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public; and E. The issuance of this amendment is in accordance with 10 CFR Part 51 of the Commission's regulations and all applicable requirements have been satisfied.

2. Accordingly, the license is amended by changes to the Technical Specifications as indicated in the attachment to this license amendment, and paragraph 2.C.(2) of Facility Operating License No. NPF-57 is hereby amended to read as follows:

(2) Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 171, and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix B, are hereby incorporated into the license. PSEG Nuclear LLC shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan.

3. The license amendment is effective as of its date of issuance and shall be implemented within 90 days. Implementation shall include the relocation of information from the Technical Specifications to the Technical Requirements Manual as described in the licensees application dated November 15, 2006, and letters dated June 21, and August 23, 2007.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

/RA/

Harold K. Chernoff, Chief Plant Licensing Branch I-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the Facility Operating License and the Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: August 27, 2007

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 171 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-57 DOCKET NO. 50-354 Replace the following page of Facility Operating License No. NPF-57 with the attached revised page as indicated. The revised page is identified by amendment number and contains marginal lines indicating the areas of change.

Remove Insert Page 3 Page 3 Replace the following pages of the Appendix A, Technical Specifications, with the attached revised pages as indicated. The revised pages are identified by amendment number and contain marginal lines indicating the areas of change.

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SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 171 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-57 PSEG NUCLEAR LLC HOPE CREEK GENERATING STATION DOCKET NO. 50-354

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By letter dated November 15, 2006 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML063260285), as supplemented by letters dated June 21, 2007 (ADAMS Accession No. ML071840164), and August 23, 2007, PSEG Nuclear LLC (PSEG or the licensee) requested changes to the Hope Creek Generating Station (HCGS) Technical Specification (TSs). The proposed amendment would delete TS Table 3.6.3-1, Primary Containment Isolation Valves, and relocate the information to the HCGS Technical Requirements Manual (TRM). The amendment would also revise other TS sections that reference TS Table 3.6.3-1. The licensees application dated November 15, 2006, stated that the proposed changes are consistent with the guidance in Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) Generic Letter (GL) 91-08, Removal of Component Lists from Technical Specifications dated May 6, 1991 (ADAMS Accession No. ML031140516).

The supplements dated June 21, and August 23, 2007, provided additional information that clarified the application, did not expand the scope of the application as originally noticed, and did not change the NRC staffs original proposed no significant hazards consideration determination as published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2007 (72 FR 6789).

2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION

In GL 91-08, the NRC staff provided guidance to licensees regarding preparing a proposed license amendment to remove component lists from the TSs. The GL stated that licensees planning to adopt this line-item TS improvement are encouraged to propose TS changes consistent with the guidance in the enclosures to the GL. Enclosure 1 to the GL provides guidance on the TS changes for specific lists of components including containment isolation valves. Enclosure 1 also identifies the following issues that should be addressed as part of a license amendment request to remove component lists from the TSs:

1. Each TS should include an appropriate description of the scope of the components to which the TS requirements apply. Components that are defined by regulatory requirements or guidance need not be clarified further. However, the Bases Section of the TS should reference the applicable requirements or guidance.

2. If the removal of a component list results in the loss of notes that modify or provide an exception to the TS requirements, the specification should be revised to incorporate that modification or exception. The modification or exception should be stated in terms that identify any group of components by function rather than by plant identification number, if practical.

3. Licensees should confirm that the lists of components removed from the TS are located in appropriately controlled plant procedures. The list of components may be included in the next update of the FSAR [Final Safety Analysis Report]. The Bases Section of individual specifications also may reference the plant procedures or other documents that identify each component list. The Bases Section for the containment isolation valve TS should be updated to describe the intent of opening valves under administrative control.

3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION

In its application dated November 15, 2006, the licensee proposed to delete TS Table 3.6.3-1, Primary Containment Isolation Valves, and relocate the information to the HCGS TRM. The TRM will be a new licensee-controlled document. As discussed in the licensees letter dated August 23, 2007, the TRM will be controlled in a manner consistent with procedures fully or partially described in the HCGS Updated FSAR (UFSAR). A description of the TRM and the requirement to control the TRM under the provisions of Section 50.59 of Title 10 of Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) will be included in the UFSAR when the proposed amendment is implemented. The controls for the TRM will be in accordance with Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) 98-03, Revision 1, Guidelines for Updating Final Safety Analysis Reports (ADAMS Accession No. ML003779028). The licensee also proposed the following additional TS changes to support the relocation of TS Table 3.6.3-1:

1. Revise the TS Index to show Table 3.6.3-1 as being deleted.

2. Revise TS Definition 1.32, Primary Containment Integrity, to state the exception to closure of primary containment penetrations in more general terms rather than making a specific reference to TS Table 3.6.3-1.

3. Revise TS Table 3.3.2-1, Isolation Actuation Instrumentation, to reflect the removal of Table 3.6.3-1 by deleting Note (d). In addition, the Table Notations for TS Table 3.3.2-1 identifying valves closed by a particular trip signal will be relocated to the TRM.

4. Revise Surveillance Requirement (SR) 4.6.1.1.b to state the exception to closure of primary containment penetrations in more general terms rather than making a specific preference to TS Table 3.6.3-1.

5. Revise Limiting Condition for Operation (LCO) 3.6.1.2.b, Primary Containment Leakage, to delete the references to Table 3.6.3-1. LCO 3.6.2.1.b will be reworded in its entirety for clarity regarding the exceptions to the combined leakage rate.

6. Revise LCOs 3.6.1.2.d and 3.6.1.2.e to delete the reference to TS Table 3.6.3-1.

7. Revise LCO Actions 3.6.1.2.b, 3.6.1.2.d, and 3.6.1.2.e to delete the references to Table 3.6.3-1. Action 3.6.1.2.b will be reworded in its entirety for clarity regarding the exceptions to the combined leakage rate.

8. Revise LCO Restoration Actions 3.6.1.2.b, 3.6.1.2.d, and 3.6.1.2.e to delete the references to Table 3.6.3-1. Restoration Action 3.6.1.2.b will be reworded in its entirety for clarity regarding the exceptions to the combined leakage rate.

9. Revise SRs 4.6.1.2.g and 4.6.1.2.h to delete the references to TS Table 3.6.3-1.

10. Revise LCO 3.6.3, "Primary Containment Isolation Valves," to read as follows to delete the references to Table 3.6.3-1:

Each primary containment isolation valve and each reactor instrumentation line excess flow check valve shall be OPERABLE.

11. Revise LCO Actions 3.6.3.a and 3.6.3.b, and SRs 4.6.3.1, 4.6.3.2, 4.6.3.3, and 4.6.3.4 to delete the references to Table 3.6.3-1.

12. Add a note to SR 4.6.3.4 stating "The reactor vessel head seal leak detection line (penetration J5C) excess flow check valve is not required to be tested pursuant to this requirement."

The licensees application dated November 15, 2006, also submitted proposed TS Bases changes for information only. The TS Bases would be revised under the HCGS Bases Control Program, described in TS 6.15, as part of the implementation of the proposed amendment.

As discussed above in Safety Evaluation Section 2.0, Enclosure 1 to GL 91-08 identifies three specific issues that should be addressed as part of a license amendment request to remove component lists from the TSs. PSEG addressed the three issues in Section 4.0 of to its application dated November 15, 2006, and in its letter dated August 23, 2007. The NRC staff reviewed the proposed TS changes and the licensees justifications for the changes and determined that the changes are consistent with the intent of the guidance in GL 91-08 since: (1) with respect to issue 1, the proposed TS changes do not affect the scope of the components to which the TS requirements apply; (2) with respect to issue 2, the proposed TS changes associated with the notes to Tables 3.6.3-1 and 3.3.2-1 appropriately preserve existing approved modifications or exceptions to the TS requirements; and (3) with respect to issue 3, the list of containment isolation valves to be removed from the TSs will be relocated to the TRM, which is an appropriately controlled licensee document.

Based on review of the information provided by the licensee, the NRC staff finds that: (1) the proposed TS changes do not alter the existing TS requirements or those components the requirements apply to; and (2) future changes to the relocated material will be adequately controlled under the provisions of 10 CFR 50.59. Based on these considerations, the NRC staff concludes that the proposed amendment is acceptable.

4.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the New Jersey State Official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment. The State official had no comments.

5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION

The amendment changes a requirement with respect to installation or use of a facility component located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20 and changes SRs.

The NRC staff has determined that the amendment involves no significant increase in the amounts, and no significant change in the types, of any effluents that may be released offsite, and that there is no significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. The Commission has previously issued a proposed finding that the amendment involves no significant hazards consideration, and there has been no public comment on such finding (72 FR 6789). Accordingly, the amendment meets the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9). Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b) no environmental impact statement or environmental assessment need be prepared in connection with the issuance of the amendment.

6.0 CONCLUSION

The Commission has concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that: (1) there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation in the proposed manner, (2) such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations, and (3) the issuance of the amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.

Principal Contributors: J. Hoch R. Ennis Date: August 27, 2007